Regardless of your political affiliation, you cannot deny that Senator Ted Kennedy sacrificed a great deal for our country. I had the immense privilege of meeting him on several occasions - the first time was at his home in Hyannis Port when I was 15 and that meeting remains one of the greatest moments in my life. Among all of his accomplishments, some of things about Ted Kennedy that I admired most were the following:
He lived his life by the following principle - "To whom much is given, much is expected". He was blessed to have have been born into an extraordinarily wealthy and powerful family yet he dedicated his life to public service. He could have quietly disappeared from the public scene after the assassinations of his two brothers, after the Chappaquiddick scandal, after being diagnosed with brain cancer, but he remained and continued to fight the good fight. He never wavered in his liberal beliefs and he never backed down from what he believed was right, regardless of polling numbers or the opinion of pundits. He was the kind of politician who continually stood his ground in a time when many vacillate in the hopes of being re-elected and, regardless of whether you agreed with him or not, that is something to be admired.
Another source of admiration I have for Senator Kennedy comes from his unwavering optimism. In the face of unspeakable tragedy, he remained optimistic about the future of our country. He did not let the immense tragedy that befell his own family - the untimely deaths of four of his nine siblings - prevent him from living his life to the fullest. For most, the Shakespearean tragedy of the Kennedy family would have been too much to bear, but he weathered the storm - stepping in and assuming the role of guardian and patriarch to a family that has suffered so much.
I realize not all of you will understand or agree with my admiration for Senator Kennedy - some of my admiration comes from my personal experiences with him - but I hope we can all agree that a great American has been lost today. I would appreciate any comments you have, but please be respectful.
13 comments:
I am so, so sad...the Kennedy's have done so much for our country. I cannot believe the last Kennedy son is gone...
It is so sad. I just heard on the news he was the only Kennedy brother to die of natural causes. I agree with MCW, his family has done so much for this country.
The thing I admire about Mr. Ted Kennedy so much was they way she steadfastly stood to his liberal beliefs even when they were not popular. While they are not my beliefs I can definintely respect someone who stands up for what they believe in. He is a wonderful example of that.
Thoughts and prayers to his family!
I love what you wrote. Regardless of political affiliation, there are a lot of people in his position who did not work hard to try to help people, and even if people don't agree that his policies & his work was actually helping America, he WAS doing what he thought was the right thing. Republican or Democrat, you have to respect that. A lot of people would have just lived a very easy, self-centered life, and he was truly a public SERVANT.
Well said! It's the end of an era. If only more families had their same convictions this world would be a much better place.
I have always had a fascination with the Kennedy's. They had so much but gave much more to others. What an example to us all! It makes me want to give more of myself to my community!
kudos. i admire your ability to put into words everything i wish i could about such a wonderful person.
Very well said...he has done so much for this country and I also admire him for always standing by his beliefs. He will be greatly missed
Well Said!
Are you sure you are only twenty something?
You are wise beyond your years. well said.
I love this post, truly what a legendary leader he, and his family, have been!
Nicely done. He was a wonderful man who also found a special woman who helped him head in the right direction. From that point on he's been focused on helping others, and leaves a legacy that his children can be very proud of. Everyone makes mistakes, but he sure learned well from his. His sage and bi-partisan insights will be sorely missed.
Another beautiful tribute. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
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